Tamperproof pouch label

ABSTRACT

A transparent plastic film pouch for packaging, freezing, storing and transporting viable and perishable materials such as blood components is provided with a completely interiorly sealed tamperproof identification marking label having a pressure sensitive surface which is discernibly markable by pressures applied to the outer surface of the contiguous film.

United States Patent 1191 Graham Sept. 16, 1975 1 TAMPERPROOF POUCHLABEL 2,796,982 6 1957 VOlCkenil'lg 206 459 2 l 1. l [75] Inventor: JohnRobert Graham, Flossmoor, gg i JR g gi 2,925,675 2/1960 Lumpkin 40/10 1)3,209,752 10/1965 Bujan et a1.. 128/214 D X A [73] Ssgnee 3 i 5 CorpmamnNew 3,237,970 3/1966 Mudd, Jr. 282/25 or 3,380,576 4/1968 Deimann206/459 x 22 i June 2 1974 3,545,671 12/1970 Ross 128/214 D X 121 App].N6; 484,249

Przmary ExammerW1l1iarn 1. Price Related Application Data AssistantExaminerSteven E Lipman [63] Continuation-impart Of Ser. No. 234,634,May 14, A rn y, g or FirmMaurice yan 1972, abandoned.

52 us. (:1 206/459; 40/2 R; 128/272; 1571 ABSTRACT l28/D1G. 24; 282/ R Atransparent plastic film pouch for packaging, freez- [5 l 1131. C] B651131/12 ing Storing and transporting viable and perishable [58] F ld MSear h 40/2 R, 2.2, 10 D, 35 t rials such as blood components isprovided with a 128/214 D, 272, 275, DIG. 24; 150/3; completelyinteriorly sealed tamperproof identifi- 206/232 459; 229/561 72; 282/2528 R cation marking label having a pressure sensitive surface which isdiscernibly markable by pressures ap- [561 References Clted plied to theouter surface of the contiguous film.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1954 Ryan 128/272 7 Claims, 2 Drawing FiguresPATENTEU SEP 1 61975 SHEET 1 0f 2 TAMPERPROOF POUCH LABEL This is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 234,634, filed March 14,1972, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to packaging bag labels and moreparticularly to a tamperproof label sealed completely within a bag orpouch of transparent plastic film such as may be used for the packaging,freezing, storing, transporting, and eventual thawing for utilization ofviable and perishable materials such as the fluid components of blood.According to the present invention a tamperproof label disposed sealablywithin a pouch has a pressure sensitive surface which producesdiscernible indicia in response to writing or marking pressures appliedto the outer surface of the pouch film wall beneath which the label isdisposed.

Packages, bags, pouches and the like for collecting, enclosing andsafeguarding viable and perishable materials have been the subject ofmuch research and development work in the biomedical arts. Plastic filmpouches, usually transparent, which are slack-filled and flattened forprocessing have been used successfully in the collection, freezing,storage, transportation, thawing and ultimate utilization of blood fluidcomponents for example. Such pouches are described and illustrated inUS. Pat. No. 3,576,650 to Underwood.

It is essential that such individual package articles be marked foridentification purposes in a permanent and tamperproof manner. Withspecific reference again to blood fluid components by way of example,there exists the need to cross match discrete samples with markings onsample main containers and to ensure continued reliable identificationthrough all life phases of the sample from its collection right up toand including its utilization. The selection of label means and labelingtechniques to effect and facilitate this identification is thus ofconsiderable importance.

Problems are encountered with labels made separately to be appliedexteriorly to fluid filled pouches since the attachment must be by meanswhich do not detrimentally affect the structural and/orhygienicintegrity of the article. If mechanical fastening means are used therearises the danger of puncturing the pouch. If adhesive means are used toaffix the label, the adhesive selected must be one which will notpenetrate or migrate through the thin plastic walls of the pouchpossibly to contaminate the pouch internal surfaces and the contents.More formidable problems arise with adhesives when cryogenic temperaturefreezing is involved in processing the article to the extent that theadhesive bond is detrimentally affected at low temperatures. In additionto the aforerecited difficulties where labels are marked separately ofthe pouches and subsequently attached or adhered thereto, there is thedanger of putting a wrong label on a 'given article.

It has also been found inadvisable heretofore to mark or write on alabel preintegrally formed with the bag or pouch since the markinginstrument may easily pierce the fluid filled container.

In the face of and towards solving these problems, the present inventionwas conceived, reduced to practice, developed and improved with theobject of providing a tamperproof labeled pouch for the packaging ofviable perishable materials.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pouch labelingsystem with the label completely sealed within the pouch and wherein thelabel can be marked as desired by pressures applied thereto through thepouch film material from the pouch exterior surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pouch having alabeling systemcompletely compatible with extremely high structural andhygienic integrity standards attending biomedical applications andusages.

These and additional objects of the present invention will become themore readily apparent from the ensuing description and the drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a frontal elevation of an embodiment of the inventionpartly cut away to show a pouch interior and back panel, and

FIG. 2 shows a double sided or two storage compartment embodiment of theinvention.

In general the present invention comprehends a pouch for packagingviable perishable materials comprising, in combination, a section oftubular transparent plastic film flattened to define two substantiallyplanar parallelside walls, and first linear seal extending transverselyof the side walls and sealing them to each other interiorly of thepouch, a second linear seal extending substantially parallel to thefirst seal transversely of the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch to define a sealed label compartmentintermediate the edges of the section between said first linear seal andsaid second linear seal, and a label disposed in the sealed labelcompartment, said label having a pressure sensitive surface to produceindicia discernible through the film contiguous thereto in response tomarking pressures applied thereto through the film exterio rly of thepouch.

Various alternative embodiments of the invention are also comprehended,one being a pouch as described hereinabove having a third linear sealextending transversely across the side walls and sealing them to eachother interiorly of the pouch at an end of the section to define afillable compartment between said first and said third linear seals andat least one selectably sealable aperture communicating from theexterior of said fillable compartment with the interior thereof.

Another embodiment is as described in the preceeding paragraph with theaddition of a fourth linear seal extending transversely across the sidewalls and sealing them to each other interiorly of the pouch at an endof the section to define a fillable compartment between said second andsaid fourth linear seals and at least one selectably sealable aperturecommunicating from the exterior of said fillable compartment with theinterior thereof. This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2 of thedrawings.

The embodiment considered to be of most significant practical interestcomprehends a pouch along the lines described hereinbefore with a firstlinear seal defining an end closure, a'second linear seal extendingsubstantially parallel to the first seal transversely across the sidewalls and sealing them to each other interiorly of the pouch to define asealed label compartment between the end closure and the remainder ofthe pouch, and a label as hereinbefore described disposed in the sealedlabel compartment. This embodiment is advantageously used as a blood andblood component pouch when provided with a third linear seal extendingacross the side wall edges at the end of of the section opposite the endclosed by the first linear seal, sealing them to each other to defineanother end closure, and at least one selectably scalable fillingaperture communicating from the exterior of the pouch to the pouchinterior compartment between the first and third linear seals.

Suitable labels, it has been found, may have pressure sensitive surfacescomprising surface encapsulated indelible fluids such as inks.

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings a pouch, shown generally as 11,according to the present invention may be formed from a section ofextruded tubular transparent plastic film flattened to define a frontside wall 13 and a rear side wall 15, not completely visible in the viewpresented but behind the front side wall 11 and in substantially planarparallel relationship thereto. A linear seal 17 extends transverselyacross the side wall edges at one end of the section, the bottom of thepouch as illustrated, and seals the walls 13, 15 to each other to definea pouch bottom end closure. A second linear seal 19 extendssubstantially parallel to the first seal 17 transversely across the sidewalls and seals them to each other interiorly of the pouch to define asealed label compartment 21. A pressure sensitive surface label 23 isdisposed in compartment 21. The installation of the label 23 must ofcourse be made before the second of the seals 17, 19 is applied and inthis connection it may be advantageous in the interest of maintainingsterility to make the seal 19 first, insert the label 23 into itscompartment 21 from the bottom end of the pouch and then apply the endclosure seal 17.

The pouch illustrated in FIG. 1 is of a type customarily used to packageblood and/or the fluid components of blood to be quick frozen and storedat very low temperatures. Such pouches are furnished with a third linearseal 25 which extends transversely across the side wall edges at the endof the section opposite the end closed by the seal 17 to define a pouchtop end closure and an interior filling compartment 27 between the seals19, 25. A filling aperture in the form ofa tube 29 is provided as shownextending through the top end closure 25 and is adapted by plug or clampmeans to provide selectably sealable communication from the exterior ofthe pouch to the pouch interior filling compartment 27. A secondaperture in the form of a tube 31 is usually provided shown extendingthrough the top end closure 25, and is also adapted by plug or clampmeans to provide selectably sealable communication between the pouchexterior and compartment 27 to serve as vent means during pouch fillingand/or emptying operations. One or more hold hanging tabs 33 may beprovided on the pouch as shown to facilitate handling and filling.

Pouches similar to the one illustrated may also be fabricated fromfolded over transparent plastic film sheets longitudinally seamed orscaled up one side and for the purposes of this invention suchstructures are to be considered as tubes or tubular sections within thescope of the appended claims.

The label 23 disposed in compartment 21 may be of any type having thecapability of producing discernible indicia 35 in the form of readablewords, numbers, code symbols and the like on its surface upon theapplication of suitable writing or imprinting pressure to such surfacethrough the film sheet 13. Label papers which have been usedsuccessfully include commercially available surface encapsulatedpressure sensitive label paper. Since the label 23 is disposed in acompartment 21 separate and sealed off from the pouch fillingcompartment 27, it is possible to support the label from beneath with aflat surface to facilitate the marking operation.

FIG. 2 of the drawings shows an alternative embodiment in the form of adouble-ended or two fluid storage 5 compartment bag. The numericaldesignations of parts and elements hereinbefore described are designatedsimilarly on the second fluid storage compartment as on the first, butare marked with a prime symbol for clarity.

The plastic film materials to fabricate pouches or bags usedsuccessfully in this invention can be generally described as polyolefinfilms whose major polymeric constituent, that is an amount greater thanabout 50% by weight, in ethylene. The specifics of the filmmanufactureare not germane to this invention, being well within the ken of personsfamiliar with the packaging arts.

The present invention finds ready applicability to forms of transparentpouches other than exactly like the pouch shown in the drawing. It ispossible and within the scope of this invention, for instance, toprovide a flat sealed off label compartment and label intermediate theends of a pouch having two separate filling compartments such as shownin FIG. 2 of the drawings and as is used to hold reactant fluids and/orcompositions apart until reaction is initiated by rupturing one or moreinternal intra compartment seals to intermix the contained substances.

Numerous other alternative structures and embodiments of the inventionwill, in the light of the foregoing, undoubtedly occur to readers,particularly those familiar with the art, and it is thus intended thatthe description herein be considered as illustrative and not taken inany limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A pouch for packaging viable perishable materials comprising, incombination,

a. a section of tubular transparent plastic film flattened to define twosubstantially planar parallel side walls,

b. a first linear seal extending transversely of the side walls andsealing them to each other interiorly of the pouch, a second linear sealextending substantially parallel to the first seal transversely of theside walls and sealing them to each other interiorly of the pouch at oneend of the section to form a bottom closure and to define a sealed labelcompartment intermediate the bottom closure and the unclosed end of thesection between said first linear seal and said second linear seal andan open ended fillable compartment contiguous to said sealed labelcompartment and d. a label disposed in the sealed label compartment,said label having a pressure sensitive surface to produce indiciadiscernible through the film contiguous thereto in response to markingpressures applied thereto through the film exteriorly of the pouch.

2. A pouch according to claim 1 having a third linear seal extendingtransversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch at an end of the section to define asubstantially closed fillable compartment between said first and saidthird linear seals and at least one selectably sealable aperturecommunicating from the exterior of said fillable compartment with theinterior thereof.

3. A pouch according to claim 2 having a fourth linear seal extendingtransversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch at an end of the section to define a pouchfillable compartment between said second and said fourth linear sealsand at least one selectably sealable aperture communicating from theexterior of said fillable compartment with the interior thereof.

4. A pouch for packaging viable perishable materials comprising, incombination,

a. a section of tubular transparent plastic film flattened to define twosubstantially planar parallel side walls,

b. a first linear seal extending transversely across the side wall edgesat one end of the section and sealing them to each other to define anend closure,

c. a second linear seal extending substantially parallel to the firstseal transversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch to define a sealed label compartment between thefirst linear seal defining the end closure and the second linear sealand an open ended fillable compartment contiguous to said sealed labelcompartment and d. a label disposed in the sealed label compartment.said label having a pressure sensitive surface to produce indiciadiscernible through the film contiguous thereto in response to markingpressures applied thereto through the film exteriorly of the pouch.

5. A pouch according to claim 4 having a third linear seal extendingtransversely across the side wall edges at the end of the sectionopposite the end closed by the first linear seal, sealing them to eachother to define another end closure and at least one selectably scalablefilling aperture communicating from the exterior of the pouch to thepouch interior compartment between the second and third linear seals.

6. A pouch according to claim 4 wherein the label pressure sensitivesurface comprises surface encapsulated indelible fluid.

7. A pouch for packaging, freezing, storing, transporting and thawingviable perishable materials frozen and stored at cryogenic temperaturesin the order of about that of liquid nitrogen comprising, incombination,

a. a section of tubular transparent plastic film flattened to define twosubstantially planar parallel side walls,

b. a first linear seal extending transversely across the side wall edgesat one end of the section and sealing them to each other to define anend closure,

c. a second linear seal extending substantially parallel to the firstseal transversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch to define a sealed label compartment be tweenthe end closure and the remainder of the pouch,

d. a third linear seal extending substantially parallel to the seco'ndseal transversely across the side wall edges at the end of the sectionopposite the end sealed by the first linear seal to define a fillablecompartment between the second seal and the third seal,

e. at least one selectably sealable aperture communicating from theexterior of the pouch to the interior of said fillable compartment and alabel disposed in the sealed label compartment, said label having apressure sensitive surface to produce indicia discernible through thefilm contiguous thereto in response to marking pressures applied theretothrough the film exteriorly of the pouch.

1. A pouch for packaging viable perishable materials comprising, incombination, a. a section of tubular transparent plastic film flattenedto define two substantially planar parallel side walls, b. a firstlinear seal extending transversely of the side walls and sealing them toeach other interiorly of the pouch, c. a second linear seal extendingsubstantially parallel to the first seal transversely of the side wallsand sealing them to each other interiorly of the pouch at one end of thesection to form a bottom closure and to define a sealed labelcompartment intermediate the bottom closure and the unclosed end of thesection between said first linear seal and said second linear seal andan open ended fillable compartment contiguous to said sealed labelcompartment and d. a label disposed in the sealed label compartment,said label having a pressure sensitive surface to produce indiciadiscernible through the film contiguous thereto in response to markingpressures applied thereto through the film exteriorly of the pouch.
 2. Apouch according to claim 1 having a third linear seal extendingtransversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch at an end of the section to define asubstantially closed fillable compartment between said first and saidthird linear seals and at least one selectably sealable aperturecommunicating from the exterior of said fillable compartment with theinterior thereof.
 3. A pouch according to claim 2 having a fourth linearseal extending transversely across the side walls and sealing them toeach other interiorly of the pouch at an end of the section to define apouch fillable compartment between said second and said fourth linearseals and at least one selectably sealable aperture communicating fromthe exterior of said fillable compartment with the interior thereof. 4.A pouch for packaging viable perishable materials comprising, incombination, a. a section of tubular transparent plastic film flattenedto define two substantially planar parallel side walls, b. a firstlinear seal extending transversely across the side wall edges at one endof the section and sealing them to each other to define an end closure,c. a second linear seal extending substantially parallel to the firstseal transversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch to define a sealed label compartment between thefirst linear seal defining the end closure and the second linear sealand an open ended fillable compartment contiguous to said sealed labelcompartment and d. a label disposed in the sealed label compartment,said label having a pressure seNsitive surface to produce indiciadiscernible through the film contiguous thereto in response to markingpressures applied thereto through the film exteriorly of the pouch.
 5. Apouch according to claim 4 having a third linear seal extendingtransversely across the side wall edges at the end of the sectionopposite the end closed by the first linear seal, sealing them to eachother to define another end closure and at least one selectably sealablefilling aperture communicating from the exterior of the pouch to thepouch interior compartment between the second and third linear seals. 6.A pouch according to claim 4 wherein the label pressure sensitivesurface comprises surface encapsulated indelible fluid.
 7. A pouch forpackaging, freezing, storing, transporting and thawing viable perishablematerials frozen and stored at cryogenic temperatures in the order ofabout that of liquid nitrogen comprising, in combination, a. a sectionof tubular transparent plastic film flattened to define twosubstantially planar parallel side walls, b. a first linear sealextending transversely across the side wall edges at one end of thesection and sealing them to each other to define an end closure, c. asecond linear seal extending substantially parallel to the first sealtransversely across the side walls and sealing them to each otherinteriorly of the pouch to define a sealed label compartment between theend closure and the remainder of the pouch, d. a third linear sealextending substantially parallel to the second seal transversely acrossthe side wall edges at the end of the section opposite the end sealed bythe first linear seal to define a fillable compartment between thesecond seal and the third seal, e. at least one selectably sealableaperture communicating from the exterior of the pouch to the interior ofsaid fillable compartment and f. a label disposed in the sealed labelcompartment, said label having a pressure sensitive surface to produceindicia discernible through the film contiguous thereto in response tomarking pressures applied thereto through the film exteriorly of thepouch.